Dark Phantom – Nation of Dogs
Yes, yes, successful heavy metal bands, very often, get by in the world by creating a mythology around themselves. It’s a lore that fans can share among themselves. They contain sounds and symbols that unify them all in a movement.
And while all of this makes for good box office, one feels like relying solely on this misses the point. The fact is that most modern bands play this kind of music because there’s a good enough market for it. Heavy metal festivals are still gigantic events in many places across the world.
But about the places where metal is not present? What about the places where rock music is viewed with suspicion or, outright, discouraged? Frankly, these are the lands that need this art style the most. And the artists who dare to make this kind of art in these places are the ones who are really worthy of praise.
Dark Phantom’s “Nation of Dogs” is written and produced, as far as the band alleges, entirely in Iraq, a country that has gifted the world much in terms of culture, but little in terms of modern, aggressive rock music. That, in itself, is a rebellious act worth a mention. But the band bring a classic, thrashy energy to the instrumental and marries that to the kind of harsh vocals that tend to scare non-fans of the genre away. It’s a strong performance and the mark of real artists to take the road less travelled.
Nordstahl – Ragnarök in Berlin
It takes brains and some guts to try and put a new spin on a familiar favourite. If you don’t believe me, just take a peek at the myriad of movie remakes that the ever-flush-with-cash Hollywood industry tries to push on audiences every year.
The recipe ought to be simple, but it rarely works out in the way that produces hope that it will. For the most part, it involves taking an IP, a well-known story or a familiar cast of players and giving those a fancy relaunch. Often it fails.
Keep this in mind when you listen to bands like Nordstahl. Sure, you should be able to trace the band’s influences quite quickly. And, yes, those who have influenced the group have achieved colossal success. But pay very close attention to the changes that this modern reinterpration brings in, and you’re bound to find something interesting.
Berlin, the ultra-liberal capital of Germany, is nearly 3,000 km from the North Cape. That means that the city, legendary for its troubled past, as well as modern art scene and nighttime debauchery, is closer to Moscow or the Western beaches of Portugal. Nordstahl, however, as the band’s moniker suggests, are interested in Viking lore, Nordic mythology and, well, Rammstein. The group blends all of these fascinations together in the tanz-metal of “Ragnarök in Berlin,” a kind of Odin has to sit in line for admittance into Berghain. Its quality lies in these subtle artistic choices.
